WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Cryptocurrencies, gold and stocks gained on Wednesday as moves for an Iran peace plan gathered pace, dragging down global crude oil prices emphatically. Overall cryptocurrency market capitalization increased more than half a percent overnight while crude oil prices dropped more than 5 percent overnight. The dollar's decline also supported sentiment. Bitcoin touched a 24-hour high of $71,472 whereas Ethereum recorded a high of $2,190 during the same period.
Amidst the developments, the CMC Fear and Greed Index, a proprietary tool developed by CoinMarketCap to measure the prevailing sentiment in the cryptocurrency market jumped to 35 from 33 a day earlier, Both the readings denote sentiment remaining in the 'fear' territory.
Data from Coinglass shows short positions surpassing long positions in the 24-hour liquidation statistics, implying upward momentum. Crypto liquidations - forced closure of a trader's leveraged position by an exchange or lending protocol for insufficient funds (margin or collateral) to cover potential losses - in the past 24 hours stood at $231 million comprising long positions of $110 million and short positions of $121 million.
The U.S. diplomatic push to end the war has impacted the geopolitical risk premium in energy markets. Brent Oil Futures for June settlement are currently trading at $95.00, having slipped 5.2 percent on an overnight basis. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) Crude Oil Futures for May settlement has also erased 5.16 percent overnight to trade at $87.68. Brent crude had touched a high of $119.5 and WTI crude had risen to a high of $113.41 on March 9.
The six-currency Dollar Index which measures the Dollar's strength against a basket of 6 currencies is currently at 99.32, implying an overnight decline of 0.11 percent.
With cryptocurrencies responding to the macro catalyst, overall market capitalization has rallied 0.56 percent in the past 24 hours to $2.44 trillion. In the past 24 hours, market capitalization of meme category jumped 4.8 percent, and the AI& Big Data category surged 12.3 percent, attributed to a 116-percent rebound in the price of 45th ranked Siren (SIREN).
The 24-hour trading volume has dropped 21 percent to $95 billion. Only 8 of the top 100 cryptocurrencies are trading with overnight losses of more than a percent whereas 47 are trading with overnight gains of more than a percent.
Bitcoin, the leading cryptocurrency currently commands 58.41 percent of the overall crypto market. Ethereum, the leading alternate coin accounts for a share of 10.79 percent of the overall crypto market. With a market capitalization of $320 billion, stablecoins account for 13.1 percent of the overall crypto market.
Bitcoin (BTC), the largest cryptocurrency is trading 0.29 percent higher at $71,339.29. The current price is around 43 percent below the all-time high of $126,198.07 recorded on October 7, 2025. The original cryptocurrency has lost 3.8 percent in the past week and is saddled with losses of 18.5 percent till date in 2026. The 24-hour trading ranged between $71,471.60 and $68,920.69.
Bitcoin Spot ETF products in the U.S. witnessed net outflows of $67 million on Tuesday versus net inflows of $167 million a day earlier. Fidelity Wise origin Bitcoin Fund (FBTC) topped with outflows of $45 million.
Bitcoin is continuing in the 13th position in the global ranking of all assets as per market capitalization published by companiesmarketcap.com.
Ethereum (ETH) rallied 1.2 percent overnight as it traded at $2,183.66. The leading alternate coin is trading 56 percent below the all-time-high of $4,953.73 recorded on August 25, 2025. The 24-hour trading ranged between $2,189.92 and $2,103.38.
Ethereum Spot ETF products in the U.S. witnessed net outflows increasing to $41 million on Tuesday from $16 million on Monday. iShares Ethereum Trust ETF (ETHA) topped with net outflows of $25 million.
Meanwhile, Ethereum has jumped two notches to the 63rd position in the global ranking of all assets as per market capitalization published by companiesmarketcap.com.
4th ranked BNB (BNB) gained 1.6 percent overnight resulting in price increasing to $647.01. BNB is trading 53 percent below the all-time high of $1,370.55 touched on October 13, 2025.
5th ranked XRP (XRP) edged up 0.10 percent overnight and is currently trading at $1.41, around 63 percent below the all-time high of $3.84 touched on January 4, 2018.
The price of 7th ranked Solana (SOL) increased 0.62 percent overnight to $92.52. SOL's current price is around 69 percent below its all-time-high of $294.33 recorded on January 19, 2025.
TRON (TRX) ranked 8th overall added 0.06 percent overnight and is currently changing hands at $0.3093. The trading price is 30 percent below the cryptocurrency's all-time high of $0.4407 recorded on December 4, 2024.
9th ranked Dogecoin (DOGE) jumped 3.2 percent overnight and is currently trading at $0.0970. DOGE is trading 87 percent below the peak price of $0.7376 recorded on May 8, 2021.
10th ranked Hyperliquid (HYPE) jumped 6.5 percent in the past 24 hours to trade at $40.78, around 31 percent below the all-time high of $59.39 recorded on September 18, 2025.
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